To date, the DaVinci Society has awarded more than $1 million in scholarship funds to qualifying students at Wagner College.

Chairing the 2018 event is former Republican Party chairman, Robert Scamardella.

ABOUT THE HONOREES: This year's honorees include Dr. Charles DeMarco, Anita Bisso Harvey and Jon DelGiorno who will be receiving community service awards.

Guido Passarelli will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement award.

The Society also presents a "Renaissance Award" to a non-Italian0American who is a positive role model in their ethnic community. This year's recipient is Dr. Chitoor Giovindaraj.

Also planned is a special presentation to outgoing Wagner College President Richard Guarasci.

DeMarco is an orthopedic surgeon with an extensive medical practice that is primarily based on Staten Island and Brooklyn. He also holds a fellowship in sports medicine from Penn State. In addition to his practice, Dr. Demarco serves as a sports surgeon for college football teams, a minor league hockey team, a leading competitive dance company and the College of Staten island.

A member of the board of Eger Health Care & Rehabilitation Center, Dr. Demarco, is married to State Supreme Court Justice Catherine DeDomenico. The couple reside on Staten Island with their three children.

Bisso-Harvey began her career as a preschool teacher with the YMCA and has ascended to leading executive positions with the YMCA of Greater New York.

She currently serves as the senior executive director for the Staten Island Broadway Y, YMCA Counseling Service, the South Shore Y and the Vanderbilt YMCA in Manhattan.

A leader in youth development Bisso-Harvey has spearheaded development of many Y signature programs including universal Pre-K, Teens Take the City, Global Teens and the Y's After School Programs.

DelGiorno is a founding member of Pitta, Bishop & DelGiorno, LLC and manages the firm's consulting and government relations practice. He specializes in campaign finance and election compliance services while advising on government contracting, budgeting and regulatory matters.

DelGiorno has more than 21 years experience in government relations having served as a designated voting member of the former NYC Board of Estimate and administrative manager for the NYC Board of Elections.

Passarelli immigrated to Staten Island from Tricarico, Italy in 1955. Utilizing his masonry trade, Passarelli started a small business installing patios and sidewalks.

Soon thereafter he bought a vacant lot and built his first home. Over the years his development business continued to grow, and his projects have now included more than 5,000 residential homes, high rise apartments and many commercial shopping plazas.

Passarelli is one of the largest native developers in Staten Island history. Passarelli still resides on Staten Island and a number of his development companies are all based here.

After graduation from medical school, Dr. Giovindaraj immigrated to the United States from Madras, India in 1967. He served his residency at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and procured a fellowship at Downstate Medical Center specializing in Pulmonology.

Dr Giovindaraj moved to Staten Island in 1973 and conducts a medical practice with offices on Staten Island and in Brooklyn. His wife Shanti and son Satish are also physicians.

Active in the Staten Island Indian community, Dr. Giovindaraj is a major supporter of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, Spiritual Veda Agama Sudha and the Tamil Sangram Dinner for the Poor.

Dr. Guarasci has been with Wagner College for 22 years, the last 16 serving as its president.

During his tenure Wagner College has been continuously recognized by US News and World Report as one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country.

Dr. Guarasci has overseen the erection of a new dormitory (Foundation Hall) and the complete renovation of Main Hall, while working to increase the college's endowment from 4 million to 98 million dollars. He is retiring in June of next year.

For more information or tickets to the event, contact Betty McCummisky, director of special events at Wagner College, at 718-420-4014 or email Betty at emccomis@wagner.edu.